Troubled Minds
by Keep.your.head.up-GBNF
Summary: AU/ What happens when two untamable teenagers, with problems unlike your average everyday issues, collide due to their fathers outlaw lifestylz? Could the feelings each teen refuse to admit for the other be the reason for one's salvation? Or the cause for one's desolation?
1. Chapter 1

Author Note:

Okay so this is completely AU and my first FF story to have written/uploaded (Although I've been reading them for, like ever, lol) so I hope you like it.

Though I love Kurt Sutter to bits, I feel he neglected Tara a little. She had no family, nobody to confide in on the show, so I figured, I'd give her a family. (BTW she's of Irish/Italian descent- will explain further)

Word of warning, I'll try to remain as true to the characters as possible, but since this is AU, figured a little detour should suffice. And considering it's based in teenage years, we really have no idea what our favorite couple where like which makes it free to the imagination, so please no hate.

I'm blunt so if you lovely readers got advice and/or idea's as to how you'd like to see something play out- for me to work with- please, feel free to share your thoughts *Much appreciated*.

And if you get confused, all will explain in future chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing (but my Own Characters) they belong to the lovely Kurt Sutter.

Please review and let me know if I shall continue, lovely day ya'll

-KYHU

* * *

Summer of 1996

Tara rushed to the front door as she pulled a tank top over her disheveled bed hair, her mind frying with aimless thoughts on how she'd grill the living shit out of the douche bag banging on her front door as if it wasn't 9 O'clock in the fucking morning.

She'd only just managed not to trip over the last step of the staircase when the impatient imbecile began it's pounding, again. She wondered briefly if they knew just exactly whose house they were daring to shake of the household. But at the back of her mind, she knew who it was.

And she was pissed.

Tara thought better than to open her mouth knowing nothing other than a string of profanities would follow her huff of annoyance, but as she wiped the front door open, her sleepy, glassy green eyes narrowed to thin slits, a grim line forming on her lips as she silently confirmed her suspicions.

"What in the _hell_ is your fucking problem? Have you dirt brain idiots never heard of sleep?" She never once bothered to wait for a response by the grinning teenage boys staring back at her dumbfoundedly, obviously taken aback by the foul words falling from her usually tight lipped mouth.

She shrieked as the cold morning breeze came in contact with her bare, thin covered black and white plaid pajama short, porcelain legs. She'd barely managed to cover her midsection with the matching spaghetti strapped pajama top when she had whipped the door open before the imbeciles could add to the damage of her suddenly thumping ear drums.

 _Fortunately_ for Tara, she was a heavy sleeper, not even a cannon could wake her up, but _unfortunately_ , she'd only just gone to sleep 3 hours ago and with her father not home, she felt the familiar need to be on alert.

"It's what normal people do at 9am! So you fuckheads better have one helluva excuse for waking me up, _or so help me god_ , I will make sure you horny cunts get cock blocked for the next damn month!" Tara cocked a perfectly plucked eyebrow, failing to see the humor as she waited for Jax and Opie's laughter to die down. She rested her gaze on Opie, trying desperately hard not to blush as Jax looked her over.

"That how it's gonna be, aye?" She questioned, having been left waiting impatiently for a response for what felt like 10 minutes. An indifferent huff resisted from her lips. Tara stepped back to slam her door shut but felt the sudden force of a large hand preventing the door from clicking in place.

Opie pushed it open and she was ready to cut his dick off. "Wait, Tara, common, I'm sorry, okay?!" A smirk spread across his face but immediately faded when Tara cut him a staunch glare.

"What do you want?" Her voice was much softer as she asked Opie unlike the bitter, almost murderous, tone she addressed the two when she graced her presence and Jax absentmindedly raised his brow.

"We're gonna have a party at the cabin and wanted you to come!"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I'm good, Ope." And she made an attempt to hide behind her front door but _,_ _yet again,_ before she succeeded her dismissal, Opie's large hand landed on the thick oak front door.

She crossed her arms over her chest as a scowl complemented her face at Opie's unspoken plea for her to come.

"Awe come on Tara. We'll be by your side the whole night. Just this once…" she shook her head, again, hoping they'd just take the hint.

Opie's effort to successfully create a pout with his mouth came off as a sly grin, one Tara had to restrain from slapping the shit out of. "Please, you never come out with us!" he stammered, mindfully bumping his shoulder, not so gently with Jax, when his best friend rolled his eyes as if _he_ had no concern whether she chose to come or not.

"Donna's gonna be there!" Opie called swiftly, hoping the mention of his girlfriend would bring comfort to his friend.

Tara narrowed her mossy green eyes at him and pursed her lips while she held her ground. "Sorry but I doubt Papà would let me go!"

"It's Friday so he'll probably be at the club rager… seriously what's the harm? Have you never touched a beer in your life?" Tara bit back a scoff at Jax's clear stab for a response, the mischief glint crossing her suddenly lighter green eyes not being missed by an undoubtedly curious Jackson. Opie didn't catch the shift in her eyes before they returned to a neutral expression of doubt.

"Come on Ope, it's no use, she's cold turkey. We'll have more fun without her" Jax stated matter of factly as he stubbed out his cigarette.

"Oh is that right?" Tara snapped, eyes pinning on the smart ass who, _for some unknown reason,_ made it his first priority to talk her down. And for the life of her, Tara Knowles, _the oddly smart intelligent daughter of an Outlaw Motorcycle Enthusiast,_ had no idea why.

He shrugged his shoulders and Tara saw the grin spread across Opie's face as if he knew she was gonna give in.

"What time does it start?" She addressed Opie.

He grinned broadly. "7, probably won't be in full swing till 'round 9 though"

She nodded her head and took a step back behind the threshold. "Does Donna need a ride?"

Opie paused for a second before he gave a curt nod. "You could pick her up, Princess, I'll let her know!" Tara closed her door at that but not without hearing Jax scoff under his breath.

Any other time she would've just ignored his obvious hatred for her and went about her day, but it's like her feet suddenly became immobile and she was forced to listen.

"The hell is wrong with you bro? What'd she ever do to you? If you like her, quit acting like a jerk or one day you might regret it!" Opie snapped and Tara could just imagine the rare look of disapproval cross his scruffy features.

She frowned, definitely not agreeing with the last of Opie's statement. After all, when a guy had any interest in her, they'd simply ask her straight- _or as straight as you could get considering her father makes it his first priority to threaten any guy after, her away_ \- and Jax definitely wasn't the type to be after anything but pussy when it came to chicks.

"Fuck no I don't like her. She's a bookworm that lacks the fun and follows us everywhere, so don't mind me brother!" Jax snickered and without breaking a sweat, continued.

She wondered for a brief moment if he knew she was listening, but knowing Jax, he probably didn't give a shit.

"Anyway, I have enough girls at my beck and call willing to just drop their panties for me. Wouldn't want a prissy little thing like Tara!" Jax stated before Tara heard the familiar sound of a lighter being lit.

She backed away almost immediately after over hearing that. Her breath caught in her throat and she glared evilly at the door were Jax stood behind, hoping she could just do anything to get him out of her life. Her cheeks flustered and the unfamiliar feeling of tears building up in her eyes caught her off guard.

The salty water never once made it past the sockets of her eyes, yet she was angry at herself for allowing the mere words to affect her. She waited for the sound of Opie's truck to screech to life before running to her room.

Without wanting to spend another moment in silence, she pulled out her black skinny jeans and shoved them on, forcing her to think of something other than how she felt the sudden urge to rip off someone's head to feed her obvious hurt when she overheard Jax's opinion of her.

Of course she didn't give a shit, but she just couldn't place what those words did to her.

Tara instinctively reached for her dark woolen blazer over her black tank top to protect her sensitive skin from the chilly morning of Charming's breeze. Even after 6 months of living in America, she hadn't quite adjusted well to it's weather. In the morning there was always a chill that reminded her of the weather forecast in Ireland, then in the afternoon, it seemed she hadn't felt the underlying need to swim so much in her life.

Brushing her hair out quickly, she never bothered with her make up since she found it made her seem fake.

She reached for the keys to her father's cutlass in the middle draw of the hallway table and pulled her small cross bag over her body.

There wasn't any point locking up the house since nobody in Charming would ever dare thief off of a SON, but having been born and raised in Belfast, it was a constant for her to do so.

You don't come and go when you please and expect to return to an untouched house, like you could in Charming, which she found incredibly difficult to adapt to. You don't go walking around any corner and fear not being attacked, not necessarily out of retaliation, but just a simple- _yet deadly_ \- mugging. You need to remain smart if you wish to survive the threats of Belfast and Tara Knowles knew nothing else. She had grown up around the club life, was in even more danger considering her both her mother and father's Parent's occupation and there was nothing she could do about it.

Yanking the gear stick up the moment she'd pulled into the Parking Lot of TM, Tara pushed the door open and went in search of her father who was most probably in his dorm room since he failed to come home last night.

Respecting him enough to knock on the door for fear of walking in on something that'd pierce her heart for her dead mother, Tara waited for his familiar raspy voice.

"You okay baby?" He asked as she entered his room.

Tara nodded her head and collapsed in the nearby desk chair. She guessed she must've looked tense for her father to question. Jax's words continued to play over in her head, eating at her conscious.

"Papà?!" his head jerked in her direction at the sound of her soft small voice and he frowned the moment he set his eyes on her downcast face.

"Yeah baby?" Her fingers began to fidget in her lap as she contemplated if it was a good idea to bring up what she'd tried desperately to ignore.

"...did you seriously mean it when you said moving to Charming would be good for both of us?" her voice wavered despite her best efforts and he sighed deeply, feeling the sudden tension in his daughter's words.

"Yeah, Lala…" averting his gaze to look anywhere but his daughter, he couldn't help but anticipate her next words. Diezel ran a hand over his face.

"I wanna go home, Papà!"

There was a brief minute of silence, not out of shock- because he had awaited 6 months for this conversation to arise, but because he heard the sadness lacing her usually tonic voice. And in that moment of silence, the anger he suppressed long ago slowly began to resurface.

"We aren't going back there little girl, you know why we left!" He growled out in a deadly voice. One too many people would take his tone as a hint to shut the fuck up, but his kids were an exception.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Yeah because I got jumped in an alleyway by an idiot who had to result in using a steel baton against me while I was drunk!"

Diezel's eyes widened in anger. "Exactly. You were drunk and fucking stoned outta your goddamn mind, which put you in a position where you were unable to protect yourself! That wasn't my clever daughter who would never dare to walk those streets without protecting yourself! You were in that mess because the stupid cunt got embarrassed he was beaten by a girl all cause you did street fighting!" There was an indifferent shift in the atmosphere and Diezel unconsciously began to raise his voice, loud enough for almost everyone in every room to hear.

It didn't matter. It was no secret with his club just how badly his family had been in the aftermath of losing his wife and son.

"My daughter wouldn't willingly participate in fighting without motive, _you did street fighting Tara_ , all to relish in the physical pain instead of grieving! You know how fucking dangerous that is? Multiple opponents and no fucking rules! You're fucking lucky there were no weapons involved!" Diezel inhaled a sharp, raged breath, never once stopping his rant because he needed his daughter to know the effects her actions had on others.

He'd tried getting passed it, but the mere thought of her falling back in those same patterns tore his heart out of his chest. The constant worry overwhelmed him everyday, knowing, something so small- _so little_ \- could set her back.

Yeah JT was the one who initiated his transfer from Belfast to Charming because there was no one else JT trusted better as his Sgt. At Arms than his first nine brother, but his daughter pushed his ass into gear.

It had taken all but 2 years to complete the transfer since he was President which made it complicated, but when he noticed his daughter's emotionless eyes when she addressed someone, or the bruises on her face- when insisting they were from a fight with a lippy girl who never learnt to shut her mouth- becoming more frequent, he knew the transfer needed to happen ASAP.

"When I forgot to knock on your door and opened it to see the bruises you sported on your ribs…" Diezel shook his head, willing to do anything to get rid of such an image that urged his veins to kill the fucker who bore her with them. _"I didn't know what to think!"_

Steering his point in a different direction, though it all led to the same justification, Diezel gritted his teeth. "My little girl who had dreams, _big fucking dreams_ , of becoming one of the best doctors in the country, wouldn't drink booze till she blacked out! Whether it was intentional or not, Tara, it still happened!" Diezel quipped when she opened her mouth to explain further to ease her embarrassment and rid his eyes of the disappointment, one swift look had her mouth closing tightly.

"The daughter I raised drank for pure happiness and smoked pot for a good buzz. I let you grow that shit because I felt better knowing your intake! " He shook his head, a defeated chuckle escaping his lips at how little he knew of his daughter's mental welfare.

His brain began to hurt as he thought; _I had no fucking idea you were smoking morning, afternoon and night. What kinda father am I? I'm an outlaw and ain't immune to side effects of a pot smoker so how come I didn't notice my daughter? I never would've guessed my clever baby would do that._

"I didn't expect you to be the same, not after losing a mother and your baby brother…" tears formed a thick line on his brims, yet to be shed.

"Hell, you're still my quiet little know-it-all… you're still the little hell raiser behind that blank exterior... but if we didn't move somewhere else for you to focus on things other than ignoring the missing pieces of our family, I would've been burying another kid…"

The worst feeling was knowing it was his fault. He turned his back on his kids when his wife and son got killed in that house raid. He was so on set on looking for revenge that he failed to see the struggles his kids were going through. And the disappointment he knew his wife would be feeling pained his heart.

His oldest son, Vincent 16 at the time, stepped up when Diezel should've and took care of his siblings even though he was a kid himself.

13 year old Dominik buried his pain much like his sister, denying the loss they were suffering. Giovanni- 12 at the time- and Lorenzo only 11, surprised everyone, considering they were the most impulsive of his kids who held a passion to piss people off and prank their siblings, were the only ones to accept the grief. Tara turned mute, completely shutting everyone out _to make the possibility of ever losing someone so close, again,_ much less painful and time-consuming of wallowing in self pity should she barely know them. It wasn't a shock she only ever opened up to her family but it was a shock when 5 years after their death, she sought for another escape, the pain of accepting the grief too unbearable to handle.

Yet, he wasn't there to console his children in the time of need because he was so hell bent on killing every Fed, every cop that dared to raid their house. It was nobodies fault but his that, Vincent, was now on the path of Diezel's father's direction. One that put him in constant danger, _deadlier than the club provided._

He was too late to latch on to his oldest son and steer him the other way but he made damn sure his younger sons never followed suit because there was no coming back from that. And he'd be damned if he let his daughter lose herself to that suicidal state she was running to, _purposefully or not._

"And I take full responsibility for that!"

Tara's head jerked up at his sudden declaration and tears filled her eyes. The sight brought a pang to his chest, _but oddly_ , he felt a part of his heart shift at the sudden emotions rising in her once expressionless thoughts. They've never talked about this, he avoided it because the guilt ate at him constantly, yet it seemed talking about it really was what he needed.

 _What they both needed._

He had high hopes his daughter was still in there. That, _deep down_ , far beyond the demeanor she let up, was the girl he and his wife raised. Maybe she needed this little heart to heart to finally put a stop to her act.

"Papà... I'm so sorry!" She whispered, still fighting the urge to cry.

He nodded his head, inching closer to take her in his arms. He smiled when she never pushed him away like she normally would, instead, she rested her head against his chest, digging her nails into the front of his kutte as he stroked her hair to bring comfort to her- much like when she was a baby and would cry out for her daddy.

"I just…" his eyes closed, anticipating what she was gonna say and this time, he never interrupted her.

"I miss it… I miss the guys, my old friends… I miss my brothers... Charming isn't Belfast, Papà…!" her voice cracked and he heard the restraint of a sob. How long it had been to witness his daughter breaking down, Diezel had no clue. It was unfamiliar seeing his stubborn baby girl finally letting everything in. Yet he knew, _believed deep down_ , this is what she needed.

"I just wanna go home!"

Her tone was one of defeat, despite there being no doubt her overprotective brother's would offer to have her; both father and daughter knew there was no way she'd be back there- _with the exception of a holiday._

And for the first time since 1988, Tara Grace Lá Michélle Knowles cried.

She cried for the pain she'd caused her family and possibility she let up of coming close to death 3 times.

She cried because more not than often, she'd be lucky to see her brothers, her friends and her family once a year. Fuck, she even missed the crow eaters and that's saying something since all the emotions they'd ever stirred in her veins was anger.

But painfully so, her tears came out full force when she finally accepted the rift her dead mother and brother caused in her heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: Sorry for the delay, I had plans on updating once a week (Failure *Lowering head in shame*)** **but I did something stupid and somehow lost all of the chapters I had written; (Just when I uploaded, aye?!)**

 **Well, this was not the original, but I tried. So. Damn. Hard.**

 **Thank you to all that followed/Favorited/reviewed, have no idea how happy I was.**

 **Bear with me please, the story will unfold in time. Lovely reading ya'll, hope ya like it.**

 **-KYHUM**

* * *

 **Tara POV**

Tara was no professional when it came to expressing feelings- and all that bullshit- and she was never one to judge someone if she saw a tear in their eye. For as she saw it, the way she defined a strong person was _'_ _someone able to feel pain, understand it, and accept it'_

But that was the definition she'd claim for someone born into a healthy environment, one that lacked the outlaw life and the dangers of being an associate.

Because as she saw it in the life she was born into, wallowing in pain and providing buckets amounts of fresh salty tears, was a show of weakness. Weakness that Tara refused to let swallow her up.

There was no denying Tara had felt _exactly_ what the missing pieces in her family caused, she'd just grown far too good at hiding it. Stupidly taking advantage of the escape weed and booze provided. Harming one by putting herself in a vulnerable position of street fighting.

 _Never be fooled by one's infectious smile, because more times than not, that toothy, bright beam would be hiding more pain ever imaginable._

She shivered against her father's protective arms, her sobs had died down hours ago, but the tears never once faltered even as she held her eyes shut and begged to differ. "All the shit I did, fighting, drinking, smoking..." She'd trailed off in a hesitant sentence.

"I wanted an out, Papà!"

Diezel stiffened, his jaw set in place as tears once again filled his eyes. There were no words he could say, for once, he was speechless beyond pain.

"I never meant to cause you all such pain. It w-was selfish and s-stupid, I know that, Papà- _and you got no idea how sorry I am_..."

Despite being only for a fraction of a second, Diezel had relished in the guilt plaguing his daughters tone. For he, he was finally able to see the resolve in his daughter's facade beginning to drop.

As softly as he could muster when a long moment passed by, Diezel responded. "You better be done worrying me, kid! Your my daughter and now the only living female with enough power to be the end of me." She should have been shocked, but Tara wasn't. As ruthless as her father was, as reckless and careless as he acted, he never once failed to implore how much his family meant to him.

No matter how many woman he fucked through the day and night, there would only _ever be one_ woman titled as Dezmond Knowles wife, Old Lady, soul mate, mother to his children. And Tara surrendered in happiness to know her father would- _even if Michelle granted him the ability to move on to a life without her_ \- never find someone else.

 _"And together,_ as a family, _we can pull through anything!"_

Her eyes snapped open, eyebrows bunched together in recognition of the quote her parents would whisper in her ear at night when she was a wee one.

Even with her brothers halfway around the world, there was no denying the truth behind her father's stern words.

She wiped at her swollen, tear stained cheeks. A genuine smile, one that for once didn't feel forced, spread across Tara's face as she stepped out of his strong embrace. _"Always and forever, Papà."_

Tara moved to sit in the vacated chair beside his desk, dangling the keys to her father's cutlass in her fingers as she opted to steer her visit in another, _less depressing_ , direction. "The back tires of the cutlass are wearing out, been meaning to tell you!"

Diezel nodded his head. Reaching for the keys, he tucked them in his jean pocket. "It'll be a while with the amount of services comin' in, but I'll have it done by tomorrow- Monday at the latest. Use your mother's Monster until then."

Tara nodded in appreciation, but as usual- Tara always had her insecurities. "What about the cops?" By all means she was a fantastic, experienced driver- _who learnt from nothing but the best_ \- it was the cops job to ensure citizens abide by the rules, that sadly included teens unable to drive without a permit. She didn't want heat coming down on the club if she was to be pulled over in the near future.

Winking at the slight worry etched into Tara's creasing forehead, Diezel quipped. "What about them?" He placed a soft kiss to her crown, easing her concern with his lack of worry.

"Come on I'll take you out for lunch. Been a long time since we did that." Indeed it has. Her mind briefly flicked to the party Opie practically begged she attend but she shook that thought immediately.

Spending time with her father, mending what she both chose to ignore and _caused_ by doing so, was her main priority as of right now. Rising from her seat with a roll of her eyes in mock indignation, Tara strutted her way throughout the clubhouse, a sudden twinkle reflecting in her eyes.

* * *

 **Jax POV**

Jax wasn't entirely sure how things at his and Opies party had gone so terribly wrong. Save for his best friend, because it was obvious the large trunk like teenager was enjoying his time currently shacked up in the back of the cabin- most probably fucking the shit outta his piss-drunk girlfriend.

But the moment Donna had arrived, he'd unconsciously been eager to see just if the SOA Princess had it in her to obtain some bit of a wild streak. He was, by far- _still refusing to admit_ , her unsurprising lack of show held a large amount in the disappointment he'd felt when his best friends girlfriend informed them Tara had _'matters to attend to'._

Whatever the fuck that meant, he quickly took the hand of the blonde broad that'd been more than eager to comply with his husky request of a promised night full of untamable sex.

But it seemed, even that was a disappointment.

Not the pussy itself, but because for some unexplainable **fucked up** reason, the moment he buried himself in her willing pussy, there was an oddly different face that appeared at the forefront of his mind.

A sweaty, _hella sexy_ Tara. Her face looking oh so satisfied with his long, deep and hard thrusts as she met him with just as much force.

He'd paused momentarily but his dick seemed to have become more erratic as if the image of the disheveled haired Tara moaning his name in pure ecstasy whilst he fucked her senseless, turned him on all the more. For a moment he'd been shocked, almost embarrassed, to be fucking one chick while thinking about another.

But there was no denying just how obviously turned on the image of an untamable Tara writhing beneath him, made the Notorious Prince of Charming.

Luckily Missy hadn't caught on, was too wound up with the undeniable pleasure he permitted her to even hear, or notice, the only reason he'd placed his face in the nape of her neck was to muffle the uncontrollable moans of Tara's name escaping his mouth.

His hips bucked and until he was graced with an almost body shaking, _never before experienced orgasm_ , Jax never pushed the image of her 'O' shaped mouth out of his mind.

Embarrassingly enough, Jax was sure, _dead-panned positive_ , it was the simple thought of Tara who granted him his impeccable release. And that brought a huge amount of guilt through his system. It made him feel like a perv.

And Jackson Teller was no perv.

The very realization that he was feeling somewhat guilty for being _completely_ out of control of his seemingly obvious _abrupt_ sexual desire for the brunette beauty, brought another wave of disappointment over him. It unnerved him that he was feeling so out of control of his feelings.

And more so, that it was the brunette that pissed him off with her constant bullshit-calling on his swift, effortless, ways to charm a girl that made him _feel_ so out of control.

How could one infuriating, undeniably beautiful, girl make him feel so confused? And _fucked off_ for feeling that way?

"You good brother?" Brought back to the present by a cheery looking Donna and smirking Opie, Jax felt somewhat embarrassed for having been caught looking seemingly interested in the bottle cap of his beer.

He tossed it aside and grinned cheekily, hoping to mask his feelings before Opie noticed and started asking questions.

Opie slumped down on the couch beside Jax, pulling Donna into his lap as he tucked her tiny body in his overgrown biceps. "Could ask you the same thing!" Jax teased with a smirk, nudging his head towards Donna whose face gave a whole new definition of blushing.

Jax laughed when he felt the sharp thud of Opie's giant foot come crashing down on his, playfully. Opie looked around, his eyes scanning the room for someone.

"What happened to Missy?" Called his best friend. Jax stiffened simultaneously, searching Opie's face for some sort of sign that he had been reading Jax's mind. Letting out a breath of relief, Jax raised the bottle to his lips, taking one long drag of the liquid.

He shrugged his shoulders carelessly, having lost track of his latest bedmate the moment she retreated from the back room. He'd been sitting here _surprisingly alone_ ever since he'd dismissed Missy for some lame ass excuse of needing to find Opie for 'club business'. She seemed to take the hint and hit the road like a girl proud that she'd been given the chance to fuck Mr. Jackson Teller.

Opie, sensing some sort of discomfort in Jax's posture as he zoned out, mentally promised to bombard his best friend with questions about that later. He dropped the subject and turned his attention to the little brunette tucked in his side.

"Baby, you think Tara's alright?" That caught his attention. Jax's head snapped in Donna's direction, his gaze filled with hidden worry and curiosity, fixated on the brunette addressing his best friend as a private conversation.

Opie's eyebrows knitted together as he frowned at his girlfriend. "I thought you said she had shit she needed to do?"

Donna nodded. "That's what she told me when I asked if she was picking me up. It sounded like there was more to it than that, though, like she'd been, I don't know- _crying_."

Kissing her forehead because Donna seemed a little worried, Opie ran a hand down her back.

"She's Diezel's kid, Donna, there ain't nothing that could bring that girl down!" Called Thomas as he weaseled his way beside his brother, already looking delirious.

A smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth but nothing about Thomas's reassuring words seemed to ease Jax's sudden tension.

An odd feeling of needing to confirm she was indeed okay came over Jax. He raised his beer to his lips, greedily drinking the entire bottle as a means to wash away his sudden feelings and thoughts.

Proven to be difficult, he tossed the empty bottle on the table and went in search of something stronger. Jameson, perhaps?

* * *

 _"Jackson Nathaniel Teller!"_

Jax shrieked, wincing as he covered his head with his sheets to muffle the worst alarm ever invented- _Gemma Teller._

 _How his father managed to put up with her overbearing voice was beyond Jax to understand._

For only a second he had been given hope that whatever God was up there had actually payed attention to his silent pray of keeping her the _fuck_ silent.

Wishful thinking, it seemed. His bedroom door swung open- bouncing off of the shelf in the corner just as he'd managed to find that deep slumber again. _"You get your lazy ass up and get to school!"_ She roared like the Tiger she loved to be.

"Aw come on Mom"- Protesting was pointless, Gemma Teller was her own bowl of crazy, but Jax had one hell of a hangover.

Gemma felt no remorse for what she was doing. She pulled the sheet's from her sons body, one eyebrow cocked as she pointed a finger at his pout. "The club doesn't need the Truancy offices snooping around wondering _why_ you haven't been attending school since you _aren't_ old enough to _drop out!"_ Jax rolled his eyes- which obviously wasn't the best idea since his mother ended up shoving his long legs off of his double bed, sending them crashing to the carpeted floor in shock.

 _"Jesus Christ"_ He grumbled, scrubbing a hand across his face.

He'd barely caught the towel hanging over his bedroom door as his mother threw it at him when her voice pounded in his ears once again. "Breakfast is gonna be ready shortly, so I suggest if you want a feed, hurry up!"

Her 6 inch platform heels clacked with her every movement as she crossed the distance of his room to peel open his blinds, shaking her head in disgust as she flung his windows wide open. "Jesus Christ, it smells in here. What are you, _growing a dump fetish I don't know about?"_

Jax glared at his mother as he stood to plop back down on his bed.

Her neck snapped in his direction and she shook her head, quickly reaching to pull her son from the bed, again. "Oh no, you don't!" She growled with a yank at his tousled hair, adamant he was to hear her out.

"You don't come home piss-drunk at _6am_ on a Sunday _morning_ and _expect_ me to pity you! Like your father says, 'you wanna drink like a man, take it like a man!' So get the fuck up" Gemma's eyes glared daggers at his face. "-If your not down by the time I leave to stop at Diezel's, _reconsider_ what you have in mind for your birthday gift!"

She turned on her heel, satisfied that the message was delivered as the sound of her son's jaw hitting the floor ceased her ears.

His gaze snapped to her retreating back, shock and ultimate fear flooding his handsome features as he scrambled to pick up the towel he'd dropped at his feet. "You're not _fucking_ serious!" He challenged.

"Oh I'm dead serious, baby. Now hurry up!" Jax sighed deeply, mumbling a string of curses as he headed for the bathroom- _since it seemed he reeked of stench._

* * *

As they pulled up to the Knowles House over looking the perfect view of Charming's city limits and forest, Jax could feel his heart beating frantically in his chest. He hadn't seen Tara since the day Ope requested for her to come to their party- _unless you include his graphic imagination of a sex scene featuring he and Tara_ _._

 _One where he could decipher every panting moment._

Aw, fuck. He needed a distraction and he needed it badly-

The back door of Gemma's Terrain swung open and he heard his brother leap from the car. "She might be at the clubhouse with her father so we'll wait in the car, sweetie!" Gemma called after her youngest son acknowledging her words with a short, curt nod.

She chuckled lightly, her eyes twinkling with amusement as Jax looked over her expression. "What's rolling round in that head of yours ma?" He teased.

Gemma couldn't help but smile. "Your brothers either really genuinely interested in going to school or he's got a crush on Tara…" Heat emitted in Jax's cheeks as he snapped his head towards his brother running for the Knowles front door.

"-And since he's a Teller, there ain't no way that smile was excitement for learning about Chemical reactions!" He'd never registered his mother's beaming smile, his attention caught on the opening door, as the said girl came into view.

 _Those tight, perfect fucking jeans clutching her thick thighs he so badly wanted wrapped around his waist-_ or face _wouldn't matter._

He'd been oblivious to the fact his body had reacted almost immediately, his eyes still too fixed on the sexy brunette talking to his brother.

 _His brother._

 _Who might have a crush on the girl he's been-_

No, Jax told himself. There's nothing but sexual attraction he's got for her.

Even so, he needed to stop checking her out because nothing good would come from two brothers attracted to the same girl.

But logic went straight out the window when Tara retreated back inside to fetch something, most possibly her bag.

 _Her sleek, silk, toned porcelain back exposed through the large backless sweater she wore._

Jax's eyes damn nearly bugged out of their sockets as he demanded a closer view.

From his distance, with the quick chance he got to check out her back, he noted the lack of bra most chicks were far too insecure to go without.

 _Aw sweet baby Jesus._

Thomas Teller had no crush on Tara Knowles. It was evident as Jax looked over to see if Tommy shared the same reaction as he, but the younger, _smarter_ , Teller barely even took note of her sexy, _simple_ attire.

And for the life of Jackson Teller, he could not define the relief that'd washed over his veins _as he confirmed his mother's suspicion to be false._

Tara returned moments later, closing the door behind her whilst she shoved her house key into the lock.

Jax tried to look away, tried so fucking hard, but failed miserably.

The sight of her was too powerful to even _want_ to glance away from. The smile plastered across her face as both she and Tommy walked down the concrete pathway, heading towards the truck he was occupying, sent a shiver up his spine.

The way her eyes shun in the sunlight provided on this hot summer morning, far too captivating than he'd ever admit.

She was definitely one helluva sight.

One sight Jax momentarily believed nothing could ever compare.

"Hey Gem…" Tara greeted, her voice far too cherry than he's ever heard. He briefly thought back to the worry in Donna's voice when she asked Opie if he knew what might be up.

She didn't seem sad. Quite the opposite actually.

She seemed light. Thomas was right, Diezel's kid would never let anything bring her down.

He took a moment to drink in her beauty due to her close proximity, admiring how naturally gorgeous she reflected in the sun. There was no trace of make up, _not one tiny bit of cosmetics that enhance a woman's beauty_ save for the thin coat of lip balm glossed over her plump pink lips. He bit on his own bottom lip, forcing himself to regain his composure. "Hey darlin'!" He drawled.

Tara raised an eyebrow, confusion partaking her gorgeous features as he imagined her bending slightly, _giving people beyond her a clear view of her plump ass_ , to see the face of the voice.

"Jackson!" She responded with a slight edge to her tone.

His mouth closed tightly to stop from rebutting, forming a thin line that looked almost like a grimace.

Thomas quickly reached into the back of the truck and pulled his bag out, not wanting to witness another one of their arguments. "Thanks mom!" Tommy kissed Gemma's cheek through the open window.

"See you at school brother!" Thomas smirked over at Jax as if certain there was no way his older brother would remain at school the entire day.

Jax, sensing his brother's teasing, could only but wink. "Indeed, brother!"

The playful gleam in Jax's eyes faded simultaneously as his face quickly turned into a scowl at their retreating backs. Gemma, noticing her sons sudden tension as he stared after the girl, rose an eyebrow almost as high as her hair line. "Maybe I got the wrong son..." she teased in goodwill.

Jax, not even registering his mother's words, continued to think how he would happily throw a thick thermal curtain over her shoulders because the thought of another guy, _many guys_ , pinning for a better view, made his blood boil.

Actually fucking boiled.

Tara and Thomas peeled out of her driveway as soon as Gemma started her engine but Jax couldn't shake his mind of the damn brunette.

* * *

 **AN/ There it is, Thomas and JT are still alive. In fact, he is actually only a year younger than both Jax and Tara. (AU ya'll).**

 **Not much J/T interaction, that just means we've got to wait.**

 **Hope Ya'll enjoyed it PLEASE REVIEW. IT HELPS ME DEVELOP A BETTER NEXT.**

 **Heads up, give me a holla if you want the next chapter to be a time jump.**

 **-KYHUM**


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